Senate Committee Puts $16 Million in Budget for Florida Polytechnic

As the Florida Senate relented Wednesday on its earlier exclusion of $22.4 million for Florida Polytechnic University, Gov. Rick Scott said the new school is on track as it should be.

By MARY TOOTHMAN & LLOYD DUNKELBERGERTHE LEDGER

LAKELAND | As the Florida Senate relented Wednesday on its earlier exclusion of $22.4 million for Florida Polytechnic University, Gov. Rick Scott said the new school is on track as it should be. "The right thing's happening," Scott told The Ledger about the startup of the school. "You can't snap your fingers and make it happen."Questions and concerns about the progress of Florida Poly had contributed to its budget being in peril. Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, initially withheld all funding from the Senate's preliminary education budget. He said he had not heard from the polytechnic's leaders about the progress being made on the campus.Since then, he said, he received more information and heard from lawmakers who are advocates of the university.Galvano said Wednesday the university budget his subcommittee is advancing to the Senate Appropriations Committee now has $16 million for Florida Poly.Galvano said roughly a third of the money comes from the school's share of the restoration of a $300 million cut for the entire university system. Another third comes from the transfer of the Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute, previously under the University of South Florida, he said."They're not where their request is but we're making progress on the issue," Galvano said.Reached by telephone just after the budget adjustment, Florida Poly Chief Operating Officer Ava Parker was upbeat. "It's a start," she said of the $16 million.Gov. Scott said he's monitoring the situation. "What I've asked them to do is come back with a plan," he said of the board and Chairman Rob Gidel. "I think Rob has done a good job, getting around the state and talking to people ... I get updates. That's the right process."The poly had another positive when the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee unveiled its university spending plan for the 2013-14 budget year and included the $22.4 million Florida Poly anticipated. The budget process is in its early stages. It will proceed through the Legislature until the full House and Senate have approved their budgets. The two legislative bodies must ultimately agree — if not, the issue could go to a conference committee for resolution.Scott said he's satisfied with the progress of the school, its leadership and future. Asked if he had any concerns, given the financial needs, he said it's a work in progress. "There's not a complete plan, that's what Rob's working on," Scott said. "But I think as they finish that, and if everybody signs off, the Board of Governors, everybody, I think then it'll go fine. ... The right thing is happening."

[ Mary Toothman can be reached at mary.toothman@theledger.com or 863-802-7512. Her Twitter feed is @MaryToothman. ]